Skip to main content
ARS Home » Plains Area » Lincoln, Nebraska » Agroecosystem Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #377261
Research Project: Management of Stable Flies to Improve Livestock Production

Location: Agroecosystem Management Research

Title: Evaluation of lotions of botanical-based repellents against Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae)

Author
item QUALLS, WHITNEY - Anastasia Mosquito Control District
item XUE, RUI-DE - Anastasia Mosquito Control District
item FAROOQ, MUHAMMAD - Anastasia Mosquito Control District
item PEPER, STEVEN - Anastasia Mosquito Control District
item ARYAPREMA, VINDHYA - Anastasia Mosquito Control District
item BLORE, KAI - Anastasia Mosquito Control District
item WEAVER, RICHARD - Anastasia Mosquito Control District
item AUTRY, DENA - Anastasia Mosquito Control District
item TALBALAGHI, ASGHAR - Anastasia Mosquito Control District
item Kenar, James - Jim
item Cermak, Steven - Steve
item Zhu, Junwei - Jerry

Submitted to: Journal of Medical Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/30/2020
Publication Date: 11/4/2020
Citation: Qualls, W., Xue, R., Farooq, M., Peper, S.T., Aryaprema, V., Blore, K., Weaver, R., Autry, D., Talbalaghi, A., Kenar, J.A., Cermak, S.C., Zhu, J.J. 2020. Evaluation of lotions of botanical-based repellents against Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae). Journal of Medical Entomology. 58(2):979-982. https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjaa244.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjaa244

Interpretive Summary: The use of mosquito repellents is one of the most effective ways to reduce nuisance and vector mosquito bites. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended six active ingredients approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to prevent mosquito bites, of which DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide) is the most effective. Although DEET remains the gold standard, reports of its impact on human health have decreased public acceptance of the repellent. The growing negative public perception to DEET and other synthetic chemicals in conjunction with FIFRA Section 25(b), which exempts registration of plant essential oil- based repellents, has led to a dramatic increase in available products claiming to prevent biting mosquitoes. There has been an overwhelming number of studies supporting the repellent and insecticidal properties of plant derived essential oils. In the present paper, we report our results from the evaluation of 13 natural-product repellent compounds in human skin lotions against mosquitoes.

Technical Abstract: Thirteen natural product repellent compounds such as 2-undecanone, capric, lauric, coconut fatty acids (and their methyl ester derivatives), and catnip oil were formulated in either Coppertone or Aroma Land lotions and evaluated against laboratory-reared Aedes aegypti L. mosquitoes. These formulations contained 7-15 wt% of the natural repellent as the major active ingredient either pure or as mixtures. USDA standard repellent test cages were used to determine the complete protection time (CPT) of the different formulated repellents. Two of the evaluated formulations, a 7% capric acid in Coppertone (CPT 2.7± 0.6 h) and 7% coconut fatty acids containing carrylic acid, capric acid and lauric acid in Coppertone (CPT 2.3 ± 2.5 h), provided strong repellency against mosquitoes up to three hours, which was equivalent to the DEET control (CPT 2.7± 0.6 h).